You will not believe how good these healthy chocolate brownies are! Made with Delicata squash and no refined sugars, you will want to make this paleo brownies recipe over and over!
These moist, delicious squash brownies are grain-free, dairy-free, gluten free, and paleo. If you love chocolate, this recipe is for you.
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What if I told you that you could have these delicious brownies and that they are grain free, healthy brownies with no refined sugar? Well, this brownie is a new hit in our house!
These are coconut flour brownies with a healthy secret. That's right, this is one of those recipes that you have to promise not to tell your kids about the hidden vegetables. If you are looking for a healthy brownie recipe, this is definitely it!
I am trying to add more grain-free treats for our family and this experiment came out really well. I credit the moistness of these paleo chocolate brownies with the delicata squash inside.
I made this healthy brownies recipe with winter squash but you can also use zucchini to make these healthy zucchini brownies too.
Why you need to make these:
Shhhh! Please don't give my secret away to my kids by telling them that there is squash in this Paleo brownies recipe! I love to make desserts with winter squash! It is a great way to sneak in some healthy nutrition.
This simple paleo brownies recipe is gluten free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free.
If you want to try, you must make this gluten free pumpkin cheesecake or this gluten free maple ginger butternut squash tart.
How to cook delicata squash:
There are a few different ways to cook Delicata squash, including:
- Baking it in the oven, which is what I did for this recipe.
- Microwaving the squash. To microwave delicata squash, slice the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Place the squash face down in a microwave-safe dish. Add a little water to the pan. Microwave for 8 minutes until soft.
- Grill it! This is a fun way to cook delicata squash to add a slightly smoky flavor. Half and prepare the squash as listed above. Place the squash halves stripes down and grill for 10 minutes.
I roasted a delicata squash I received from our local CSA farm box. I like to choose delicata squash for our weekly box because it is sweet and easy to incorporate into so many recipes.
What you need to make these:
- Coconut flour- This is the main flour in this recipe. You don't need much since coconut flour absorbs so much liquid.
- Tapioca starch - Not pictured, you can also use arrowroot starch.
- Cocoa powder - I like to use Rodelle or Anthony's brands.
- Coconut oil - This fat helps keep these brownies fudgy.
- Maple syrup - I used maple syrup as the main sweetener. You can also use agave.
Recipe step by step directions:
Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend.
Step 2: In a smaller bowl, add the wet ingredients and mashed squash. Mix well.
Step 3: Mix the wet and dry ingredients.
Step 4: Pour into a greased 8x8 baking pan and bake at 350º F for 25 minutes until done.
This coconut flour healthy brownies recipe is very easy to make. You will want to use an electric mixer to blend the batter in order to break up the squash and make a smooth paleo brownie batter.
You may also want to check out my other delicious gluten free brownie recipes too!
Substitutions and Variations:
There are a few fun ways to change up this paleo chocolate brownies recipe. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Add dark chocolate chips.
- Add dried fruit like cranberries
- Add nuts. I used walnuts, but pecans or even macadamia nuts would be delicious.
- If you don't like maple syrup, you can use honey or agave nectar instead.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:
Maple syrup comes in two grades. Grade A is lighter and is what you see most commonly in your grocery store. Grade B maple syrup is darker and has a stronger maple flavor. For this recipe, either maple syrup will work, but I prefer Grade B.
Coconut flour needs a large amount of liquid as it expands. This recipe uses 3 tablespoons, which is all you need for this recipe.
Fat is what makes your brownies fudgy. The more fat you include in a brownie recipe, the fudgier they will turn out.
These brownies will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
You can see how moist these coconut flour brownies are. I love that there is a grain-free brownies. You can also see there is no obvious sign of squash!!
Healthier gluten free dessert recipes:
You may also love these easy Instant Pot Gluten Free Brownies or these Protein Low Carb Keto Brownies.
Tools:
- Coconut flour absorbs a ton of moisture, make sure you measure this correctly so it has the right consistency in this recipe.
- An 8x8 baking pan is a perfect size to make this recipe.
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📖 Recipe
Paleo Delicata Squash Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup pureed roasted delicata squash * see note
- ⅓ cup coconut oil melted
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons coconut flour * see note
- ¼ cup tapioca starch * see note
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ½ cup cocoa powder + 2 TBSP
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Spray a 8x8 baking dish with coconut oil, or other nonstick oil.
- In a large bowl, add dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- In a small bowl, add wet ingredients and squash puree.
- Use a mixer to blend well. (This also helps break up the squash more.)
- Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Pour into baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes until done in the center.
Notes
- Note if you can't find delicata squash, you can substitute acorn or butternut squash.
- Coconut flour is unique in the amount of moisture it absorbs. You can't substitute the same amount of gluten free flour.
- Maple syrup is the main sweetener, but you can also use agave nectar.
- These brownies will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
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Kathy Raines
Our daughter had what was probably Covid early summer, 2020; she has some long-haul symptoms and has been on the AIP diet for a year. She just moved home and I found this recipe and made it for her. So yummy! She's very happy and feels the love. Thank you!
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad she loved them Kathy. I am so sorry to hear she is suffering with Long Covid symptoms. Many are similar to those with POTS and dysautonomia...and it is rough. I hope she gets through this and feels better. I am glad she is home with you.
Kathy Raines
Thank you, Sandi. We are thrilled to have her home, nine years after she graduated from high school (and five years after college). I know we'll make these brownies again! Would they work with pumpkin puree or apple sauce in place of the squash? (I know we'll run out of delicata squash eventually)
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Kathy, you can use any puree for these including sweet potato, butternut squash, apple sauce, pumpkin, etc. Enjoy!
Agness of Run Agness Run
These brownies are making my mouth watering right now, Sandi! Awesome autumn recipe. Can I use honey rather than maple syrup?
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much Agness 🙂